Open letter to AIDA from the IAFD

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Open letter to AIDA

Dear fellow freedivers:

A few weeks ago, we (at the IAFD) made clear our position regarding the way AIDA was handling different issues. We asked some questions and still have no answers except for the insults, offensive language and threats that came from AIDA, in particular Sebastian Nagel and Fred Buyle. I hope they are in a more relaxed state of mind.

The specific points that were addressed before can be categorized as follow:

a) Lack of Interest

b) Lack of Objectivity

c) Conflict of Interest

d) Lack of Democratic Convictions

e) Lack of Moral Convictions

And those points are:

The lack of interest from AIDA to seat together with the IAFD and any other agency involved in freediving, to find a common ground to set standardize rules and regulations for the validation of national, regional or world records.

The lack of interest from AIDA to recognize and validate records made by athletes with no affiliation with AIDA. Even when the appropriate channels were opened, the appropriate documentation was presented and everything asked was given.

The no recognition from AIDA of Deborah Andollo’s record, in particular when some possible conflict of interest occurs when the judge of the event, Fred Buyle, and the person in charge of AIDA judges, Kirk Krack are closely related to two different female athletes competing in the same category. Nobody complains about personal relationships, we respect that, but when personal interests are involved, objective judgment becomes questionable. That is why, at the IAFD, neither Pipin nor Audrey can be judge in their respective events. Even better, we always have impartial observers; the media presence; almost infallible and redundant electronic devices and general public in those events.

The specific conflict of interest gets even worse when records are set in the privacy of a house, with no media coverage, no public, no other organization, plus the friend, coach and trainer is also the judge and declare it a world record.

The lack of democratic convictions comes with the refusal to accept the applications for judge to 6 different applicants from the IAFD, under the argument that new rules and standards were being set and no more applications were being taken. Few days after, three different people were called to become “judges in training” during the Ibiza event.

It is simply immoral to send such a sarcastic note in September 12

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